Unit 516

Unit 516: Understand safeguarding of children and young people
1.1
Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and is a term which is broader than ‘child protection’. It is defined in ‘Working together to safeguard children 2013 as:

i. Protecting children from maltreatment.
ii. Preventing impairment of children’s health and development.
iii. Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care.
iv. Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

If any work involves children or young people, organisations must develop a child protection policy and procedure to ensure that all children and young people are protected from harm. Information about child protection can be found in the “All Wales Child Protection Procedures”

Leading and managing practice that promotes the safeguarding of individuals permeates all your work. It includes understanding safeguarding and actions that must be taken in cases of actual or potential harm or abuse. It includes supporting relationships that promote safeguarding and leading practices that support the rights, inclusion and well-being of individuals and keeping themselves safe.

The Welsh Government has issued statutory guidance in relation to the safeguarding of adults and children. The statutory guidance pertaining to children is found in:

• Safeguarding Children: Working Together Under the Children Act 2004, National Assembly for Wales 2007

Managers and practitioners are required to work within all Wales policy and procedures developed in response to the statutory guidance. The current child protection procedure is found in:

• All Wales Child Protection Procedures 2008 Understanding safeguarding in relation to harm and abuse.

You must maintain your own understanding of harm, abuse and safeguarding by understanding:

i. The factors, situations and actions that may lead to harm or abuse;
ii. The legal requirements, relevant statutory...